This invention relates to arylmethylenesulfonamidoacetonitrile derivatives and to the use of such compounds as herbicides and plant growth regulators. In a further aspect the invention relates to intermediate and processes for preparing such compounds.
Where herbicides are used to eliminate weeds from crops the herbicide must be effective against the target weed at the application rate used yet safe with respect to the crop. In the case where both the crop and weed species are grasses, it is very difficult to chemically eliminate the grassy weeds without injuring the crop. This is particularly the situation in the case of barnyardgrasses in rice crops.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,553 discloses certain arylsulfonamidoamidoheterocycle (Col. 1, lines 29-46) and aryloxysulfonamidocarboxamidoheterocycle herbicides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,719 discloses arylsulfonamidocarboxamidoheterocycle herbicides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,245 discloses N-(2,3-epoxypropylene)-N-araalkyl sulfonamide herbicides reported to have less phytotoxicity against rice.
W. German Patent Application DE No. 2,431,734 discloses benzylsulfonamidoacetic acid; benzylbenzylsulfonamidoacetamide; and ethyl (N-methyl-benzylsulfonamido)acetate as intermediate for immunosuppressant. W. German Patent Application DE No. 2,022,694 discloses N,N-dimethyl-(2-carboxybenzylsulfonamido)acetamide and 2-cyanobenzylsulfonamido)acetamide as intermediates for antispasmodics and narcotics to photosensitive protecting groups. British Pat. No. 2,126,586 discloses certain herbicidal sulfonylureas as giving complete kill of barnyardgrass without damage to rice.